Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

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gojira96
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Re: Why Gigan and Megalon?

Post by gojira96 »

ILL GREEN wrote:
GojiLamb wrote:I mean [Megalon] never appeared again throughout the Heisei and Millenium series.
I think Megaguirus was supposed to be a neo Megalon of some sort. The hatchlings did look like him in color, eyes and the claws. At least thats what I thought when they were in the sewer. But Megalon is more of a cockroach than a dragonfly.
The hatchlings were actually based on creatures from the original Rodan film.

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Rody
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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by Rody »

Rodan wrote:Apparently never posted my thoughts in this thread, so here they are in one sentence: This is the only entry in the Godzilla series I struggle to enjoy on even an ironic level.
I still appreciate the film for its stupid innocence. I don't feel like the movie is trying to be anything more than it is; rather, it accepts what it is and just rolls with it, without being obnoxious in its style.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by eabaker »

Rody wrote:
Rodan wrote:Apparently never posted my thoughts in this thread, so here they are in one sentence: This is the only entry in the Godzilla series I struggle to enjoy on even an ironic level.
I still appreciate the film for its stupid innocence. I don't feel like the movie is trying to be anything more than it is; rather, it accepts what it is and just rolls with it, without being obnoxious in its style.
I guess my feelings precisely split the difference between the two of you.
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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by three »

I love it. The kid is the downside. Everything else checks out as alright in my book.
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axnyslie wrote:I read that too quickly I though you said land MINES. Yes they are still out there so step lightly!
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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by Rodan »

I will say that I expected to like this one more than I did when I saw it for the first tie via Media Blasters' DVD release. On paper, it sounds like a hilarious good time; the kind of thing you could get together with friends for and just have away at.

But everything about it is just so slow and awkward. Who are these characters? Why is here not a single woman in this movie? There's a slow-moving, night-for-day car chase that seems like it lasts ten minutes. Even the utterly hilarious stuff, like Jet Jaguar "programming himself to grow larger" or Godzilla's infamous tail slide are so bogged down by the rest of the film that they just don't deliver the laughs they would on their own by the time you get to them.

Trim about 45 minutes off this movie and make it slightly more comprehensible, and I could be with you on it being a good time. But right now I just don't find it to be so.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by three »

Another thing I didn't understand was Megalon being the deity or monster of the seatopians. I kinda figured it would be sea based, but it's entirely wrong to assume so. In fact, their "pet" is a giant beetle sleeping on land built seemingly to dig (drill hands). It can also fly. It appears that this gives them leverage over the other worlds, which are the land and sky while they themselves dominate the ocean. Megalon IMO, may be a cyborg to an extent.
:pokeball: :cookie: :mechagodzilla: "I'm on a drug called Charlie Sheen" ~ Charlie Sheen

Gojira is:Very Hiroshima®
axnyslie wrote:I read that too quickly I though you said land MINES. Yes they are still out there so step lightly!
Well, I've read through that handbook for the recently deceased. It says: 'live people ignore the strange and unusual. I, myself, am strange and unusual. ~ Lydia Deetz

sir isaac newton is the deadliest son - of - a - bitch in space.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by SnickersGoji »

I loved this movie when I was a kid. I love Jet Jaguar as well.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by Godzillian »

The guy who built JJ in this movie is gonna be at g-fest this year.
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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by Legion1979 »

three wrote:Another thing I didn't understand was Megalon being the deity or monster of the seatopians. I kinda figured it would be sea based, but it's entirely wrong to assume so. In fact, their "pet" is a giant beetle sleeping on land built seemingly to dig (drill hands). It can also fly. It appears that this gives them leverage over the other worlds, which are the land and sky while they themselves dominate the ocean. Megalon IMO, may be a cyborg to an extent.
It's a 1970s giant monster film. Don't overthink it.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by tymon »

^Yep. Things like that don't necessarily need to be explained in films like this.
Rodan wrote:I will say that I expected to like this one more than I did when I saw it for the first tie via Media Blasters' DVD release. On paper, it sounds like a hilarious good time; the kind of thing you could get together with friends for and just have away at.

But everything about it is just so slow and awkward. Who are these characters? Why is here not a single woman in this movie? There's a slow-moving, night-for-day car chase that seems like it lasts ten minutes. Even the utterly hilarious stuff, like Jet Jaguar "programming himself to grow larger" or Godzilla's infamous tail slide are so bogged down by the rest of the film that they just don't deliver the laughs they would on their own by the time you get to them.

Trim about 45 minutes off this movie and make it slightly more comprehensible, and I could be with you on it being a good time. But right now I just don't find it to be so.
Agreed 100%. I never knew such a bright, colorful, goofy movie could be so damn dull.
JAGzilla wrote:And then there was The Giant Condor. He...seemed very dedicated to what he was doing?

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by three »

Legion1979 wrote:
three wrote:Another thing I didn't understand was Megalon being the deity or monster of the seatopians. I kinda figured it would be sea based, but it's entirely wrong to assume so. In fact, their "pet" is a giant beetle sleeping on land built seemingly to dig (drill hands). It can also fly. It appears that this gives them leverage over the other worlds, which are the land and sky while they themselves dominate the ocean. Megalon IMO, may be a cyborg to an extent.
It's a 1970s giant monster film. Don't overthink it.

Well, I can't deny you have a point legion, but I enjoy it and I like hearing about how other fans have rationalized or explain otherwise unexplained or "open" details of a film.
:pokeball: :cookie: :mechagodzilla: "I'm on a drug called Charlie Sheen" ~ Charlie Sheen

Gojira is:Very Hiroshima®
axnyslie wrote:I read that too quickly I though you said land MINES. Yes they are still out there so step lightly!
Well, I've read through that handbook for the recently deceased. It says: 'live people ignore the strange and unusual. I, myself, am strange and unusual. ~ Lydia Deetz

sir isaac newton is the deadliest son - of - a - bitch in space.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by Mechagigan »

A classic, in an odd sort of way. While it is far from the best Godzilla film, what with it's unrealistic characters and lack of logic, it is also one of the best (on a different scale, of course), due to these same attributes. It's very fun and campy, and is simply a joy to watch, due to how drawn out from reality it is. To be fair, the monster fights, while more like Pro-Wrestling matches, are fun to watch. Megalon itself is an interesting monster, and plays well as a sidekick to Gigan. Jet Jaguar and Godzilla are both enjoyably goofy, too. The plot itself is pretty shallow, and can be unfortunately slow. It has it's moments of enjoyability, though mostly because of it's surrealism. Not a bad entry, and certainly not the best, but definitely fun and enjoyable to at least watch.

4/5.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by MoK 13 »

GVM was my first G movie. The funny thing is that I fell asleep before he shows up. I was 5 and living north of Dallas, TX. I had never seen a Godzilla movie. It was coming on and I was asking my father about the movie and Godzilla in general. He talked about the first movie and KKVG. I was excited and actually scared, being 5 with an overactive imagination. The movie started and I remember the feeling of dread when the earthquakes hit. Then I fell asleep next to my Dad. Dallas had a great local channel that played all the great monster and Sci-Fi movies in the afternoon. In short order I saw GKOTM, KKVG, Mothra, Rodan, & DAM. It was not until we moved to Orlando that I saw GVM again. The great thing was I got to see it in a theater for the kid movies during the summer. I got to see GVM, GVSM, & AMA along with a lot of other older movies.
Godzilla Vs Megalon was my first in 1976, Damn I'm old.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by skuzzy-punk-kid »

When I was 11 years old, I always wanted to ask the kid in this movie (Rokusan) this question:
"Dude, what's the deal with those short shorts?"
What :g2k:is :g2k:so :g2k:frikkin' :g2k:wrong :g2k:with :g2k:the :g2k:frikkin' :g2k:G2K :g2k:smiley :g2k:?
The :g2k:G2K :g2k:smiley :g2k:is :g2k:not :g2k:causing :g2k:you :g2k:any :g2k:freakin' :g2k:harm :g2k:!!!

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by he-ba »

As the series went on, the shorts got shorter... and shorter..... and shorter......
TK's resident Titanosaurus super-fan

Maybe Minilla was some mutation inside a Kamacarus' ootheca and that's why they attacked..... Maybe Minilla ISN'T the Son of Godzilla! He's some weird Kamacari that Godzilla felt bad for!

..... Nope, the other guys would never accept that..........




I don't know even know what a he-ba is......



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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by Legion1979 »

You guys are aware that all kids dressed that way in Japan, right?

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by skuzzy-punk-kid »

Legion1979 wrote:You guys are aware that all kids dressed that way in Japan, right?
Well, as I grew older, yes, I've learned that they used to dress kids like that.
What :g2k:is :g2k:so :g2k:frikkin' :g2k:wrong :g2k:with :g2k:the :g2k:frikkin' :g2k:G2K :g2k:smiley :g2k:?
The :g2k:G2K :g2k:smiley :g2k:is :g2k:not :g2k:causing :g2k:you :g2k:any :g2k:freakin' :g2k:harm :g2k:!!!

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by he-ba »

And here in America until recently
TK's resident Titanosaurus super-fan

Maybe Minilla was some mutation inside a Kamacarus' ootheca and that's why they attacked..... Maybe Minilla ISN'T the Son of Godzilla! He's some weird Kamacari that Godzilla felt bad for!

..... Nope, the other guys would never accept that..........




I don't know even know what a he-ba is......



HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY!!!!!!!!

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by three »

So, the reason I don't like kids in movies is that they have limited uses and roles, or so it would appear. Sometimes they break the mold, but more often than not, you get some annoying kid who's just in the way, r is totally ignorant to what's actually going on (and becomes a hero, somehow, or is abused by the villain), and this is a great example. He exists here just to be the innocent that JJ can be a role model and hero to, who also connects to the kiddy audience at home. I hate it. It's one of the few things I'd change about the Showa films: remove the kid from Megalon.
:pokeball: :cookie: :mechagodzilla: "I'm on a drug called Charlie Sheen" ~ Charlie Sheen

Gojira is:Very Hiroshima®
axnyslie wrote:I read that too quickly I though you said land MINES. Yes they are still out there so step lightly!
Well, I've read through that handbook for the recently deceased. It says: 'live people ignore the strange and unusual. I, myself, am strange and unusual. ~ Lydia Deetz

sir isaac newton is the deadliest son - of - a - bitch in space.

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Re: Talkback Thread #13: Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Post by skuzzy-punk-kid »

three wrote:So, the reason I don't like kids in movies is that they have limited uses and roles, or so it would appear. Sometimes they break the mold, but more often than not, you get some annoying kid who's just in the way, r is totally ignorant to what's actually going on (and becomes a hero, somehow, or is abused by the villain), and this is a great example. He exists here just to be the innocent that JJ can be a role model and hero to, who also connects to the kiddy audience at home. I hate it. It's one of the few things I'd change about the Showa films: remove the kid from Megalon.
I remember watching the movie with my dad, and the scene where they subdue the Seatopian agent in Goro's lab, the agent flails out, sending poor Rokusan crashing to the floor. The kid was just standing there, unsure of how to grab a flailing adult's arms. And there's where my dad delivered the wham line:
"Look at him! What a worthless kid!"

Should I be angered by that comment, or should I share his opinion? I mean, he was just a kid; how effective would a kid of Rokusan's mass be when it comes to grabbing and holding onto a flailing adult? My only criticism of him was his shorts, but being that I was once that age when I was watching the movie, I sort of understand the kid's point of view. But then again, the kid was light years ahead of me seeing that he invented something that would have never occured to me if I was his age.
What :g2k:is :g2k:so :g2k:frikkin' :g2k:wrong :g2k:with :g2k:the :g2k:frikkin' :g2k:G2K :g2k:smiley :g2k:?
The :g2k:G2K :g2k:smiley :g2k:is :g2k:not :g2k:causing :g2k:you :g2k:any :g2k:freakin' :g2k:harm :g2k:!!!

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